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AIBU?

To ask would you buy a fab house in a crap area?

166 replies

BebeRainbow · 22/09/2018 23:08

Or would you rather buy an average house in a naice area ? Just looking for the General consensus really

Looking at moving house, as ours is too small and I don’t like the area, it really is a shit hole. if we move to a better area we won’t get much at all for our money

But in areas that are ... less nice (but probably slightly better than where we are) you can get something pretty special fairly affordably.

We are in the midlands

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 22/09/2018 23:10

I care much more about the area than the house so no I wouldn't.

PurpleArmy · 22/09/2018 23:11

No, you''d have to walk those streets every day.

Joinourclub · 22/09/2018 23:11

Nope.

KatyaZamolodchikova · 22/09/2018 23:12

Agree, I’d rather have along term doer-upper in a great area, than an amazing house in a ‘bad’ area.

ThisIsTheNational · 22/09/2018 23:13

We did the opposite. Shit house great area. I’d love a pretty house and more space but hated living in a shit area.

blueshoes · 22/09/2018 23:13

If it is unsafe, that is a instant deal-breaker.

FantastikRik · 22/09/2018 23:14

Made the mistake of buying a lovely house in a terrible area a few years back and lasted 2 years.

Area over house every time.

LookAtMeLookAtMoy · 22/09/2018 23:14

We have done just that. We are in a quiet part of town with shocking reputation and once we are home the house could be anywhere, our house is 25% than the last place we lived.
When we mention the town we have moved to some people pull a face but I have no regrets and actually like the own.

Growingboys · 22/09/2018 23:15

Area over house any day. We live in a fairly unmodernised (but comfortable) house in a super smart area, and I bloody love it.

Fucksgiven · 22/09/2018 23:15

Always buy the worst house on the best street rather than vice versa. You can change the house but not the neighbours

BebeRainbow · 22/09/2018 23:18

Interesting... thanks for the replies !!

OP posts:
ThanksItHasPockets · 22/09/2018 23:19

No. You can improve a house. You can’t improve an area.

legolammb · 22/09/2018 23:19

No, I wouldn't. I grew up in a naice house that wasn't in a great area and that's put me off - I remember feeling nervous of the rough kids on the bus to school.

You can always change the decor on a house or extend/loft conversion, but you can't change your neighbours or how safe you feel coming home late at night.

redshoeblueshoe · 22/09/2018 23:21

Well I thought I'd made a big mistake buying a house in a crap area.
It suited me at the time.
It suited the woman I sold it to.
I'm happy. She's happy

Aaaahfuck · 22/09/2018 23:22

I think it depends what you mean by a crap area?

BarbarianMum · 22/09/2018 23:24

Depends on what "crap" entails. Areas do improve, a great house in an area that's on the up is fine.

Metalhead · 22/09/2018 23:25

Well, I think it depends on how rough the area you’re thinking about is. We bought our house in a road that’s not particularly attractive and is not in the ‘posh’ part of town, and once or twice a year there is some noise from people shouting late at night, but generally speaking we’ve not had any issues and our next door neighbours are lovely. We got much more for our money here than we would have in the next town along, so I don’t have any regrets.

OftenHangry · 22/09/2018 23:25

I went for house over area a bit. Not the shitty one, but has had a reputation in past and some parts of the postcode still do.
Our immediate area is lovely, quiet and clean.

Don't get discouraged by postcode. Look at crime stats and how the immediate area is in terms of cleanliness and state of houses. I would never get house like this in a "good postcode" for this money. Btw that good postcodes have concerning number of burglaries, unlike mine.

crimsonlake · 22/09/2018 23:25

Good area, bad area, you can get horrible neighbours in both.

Thebluedog · 22/09/2018 23:26

I bought my dream house in a crap area... I moved within 2 years.

I now live in a crappy 3 bed semi in a lively area, small village, quiet, lovely school etc. I’ve been here 10 years

nononsene · 22/09/2018 23:26

I made the mistake of buying the nice house in a crap area. Never again. Location location location.

BebeRainbow · 22/09/2018 23:26

depends what you mean by a crap area

Just one that isn’t desirable / sought after

I don’t mean unsafe or really really terrible. “Crap” was a, well, crap way of describing what I mean really 😄

OP posts:

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Thebluedog · 22/09/2018 23:27

Lively = lovely

Quangot · 22/09/2018 23:27

The saying is "Location, location, location" for good reason.

birdladyfromhomealone · 22/09/2018 23:27

Always aim to buy the worst house in the best road.
That is where you will make money
And think about it, you can improve a house but you cant change the enviroment.

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